Grants & Initiatives

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The Arizona Community Foundation of Yavapai County is a family of charitable funds created for the community, by the community. Some funds have a broad grantmaking focus while others target a specific organization or field. Grants are awarded year-round either through donor advice or through a competitive process overseen by our local Board of Advisors.

2018 Competitive Grants Process

The annual competitive grants process for the Arizona Community Foundation of Yavapai County will provide financial support for projects and programs serving the area's residents. The online application is now closed, and grant recipients will be announced at Joy of Giving in August. For more information contact Lisa Sahady.

The need for funding outpaced the funds available for grantmaking in 2018, leaving opportunities for people like you to make a difference. These 2018 Worthy Projects include opportunities to support Yavapai County with a gift to a deserving organization that will make an immediate impact.

2018 Competitive Grants

During the 12-month period ending March 31, 2018, the Arizona Community Foundation of Yavapai County awarded $1.7 million in grants and scholarships through the competitive grants process and through the advice of donors who have established funds with ACF of Yavapai County. Since inception, ACF of Yavapai County has awarded over $16.8 million in grants and scholarships to Yavapai County nonprofit organizations and deserving students.

Grants awarded by ACF of Yavapai County

The competitive grants process for 2018 concluded with the awarding of nearly $500,000 in grants to 60 nonprofit organizations. Nonprofit organizations of all kinds serving Yavapai County residents were invited to submit proposals, which were vetted by local volunteers through grant panels.

The Joy of Giving Awards announced 2018's local philanthropists and nonprofit organizations, which pay tribute to the contributions of individuals and organizations for the betterment of Yavapai County:

Local resident Mike Fann was recognized as Philanthropist of the Year for his long history of supporting community development and nonprofit organizations in Yavapai County. His company’s employee giving program, Fann Employees Making a Difference (FEMAD) enables Mike to share his philanthropic commitment to the community with his employees. The program was recognized by ACF’s Pakis Center for Business Philanthropy in 2017, when Fann Contracting received a $40,000 BOOST! Prize. Mike used the prize money to give eight other local companies the opportunity to develop their own employee giving programs. Since its inception, FEMAD has given nearly $500,000 to local nonprofits.

The Community Leadership Award was presented to Prescott Frontier Rotaryfor their summer reading and math program offered to Kindergarten through fourth grade students in the Prescott Unified School District. The program, now known as the 21st Century Grant Summer Program, was used as an example of community philanthropy by Rotary International.

Gerda Samuels was the recipient of the Power of You Award for the impact she has made voluntarily assisting military personnel. Gerda is the humble powerhouse behind “From Home with Love,” an initiative that sends packages to American soldiers overseas. Gerda and her group of volunteers send over 100 packages every month, symbolizing the “Power of You” in our community and in the lives of each soldier who receives one of her packages

Take a look at some of the ways in which nonprofit organizations are making a difference in Yavapai County.

Initiatives

Major grant opportunity in literacy

The Arizona Community Foundation of Yavapai County has announced a major grant opportunity to support area youth in reaching the critical educational milestone of reading proficiency by third grade. With support from three additional funders, the project will provide $125,000 to $150,000 annually to support the development and implementation of an early literacy program for three years.

Nonprofit organizations and colleges are invited to submit proposals for programs that serve students in Yavapai County public schools and employ evidence-based strategies to improve literacy rates for students from pre-kindergarten through third grade.

According to data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress, many students in Arizona fall short of reaching this critical milestone. In 2013, only 28 percent of students were reading proficiently entering fourth grade and a full 40 percent were not reading at even basic proficiency.

Recognizing the great need for the promotion of early literacy in Arizona and Yavapai County, Chamberlain wanted to involve other community partners supportive of education and student achievement. The James Family Foundation, the Margaret T. Morris Children’s Foundation and the Arizona Community Foundation Venture Fund for Quality Education agreed to serve as collaborative funding partners in the three-year literacy initiative. Each organization has committed to fund a portion of the grant in its first year or to contribute annually for the entirety of the three-year project.